1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to engraving machines and more particularly to a trophy plate centering device.
Trophies, such as those received by the winner of an athletic event, are usually provided with a name plate on which the name, date etc. is engraved by an engraving machine before attaching the plate to the trophy. It is necessary, when positioning the plate on the engraving machine, that the plate be centered between end limits before engraving tool contact is made with the plate for proper spacing of the wording engraved thereon. Heretofor this has been a tedious and time consuming act for the reason no two plates are of equal dimensions and each must be measured and centered on the engraving machine each time a new plate is placed thereon. This invention provides such a centering tool and eliminates errors of measurement and ruining the plate as well as conserving time.
2. Description of the prior art.
Prior patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,197,884 have generally related to holding devices for engraving an irregularly-shaped or longitudinally tapered member, or as in U.S. Pat. No. 1,889,660, for holding and rotating a disk while engraving the edge thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,828 discloses a stylus which permits moving the cutter to a new position on the work while the stylus remains in contact with a template while other patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,838,838 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,933, relate to cutting or forming templates.
This invention is distinctive over these patents by providing an attachment for an engraving machine for accurately, easily and quickly centering an elongated flat plate to be engraved with respect to the work holding clamp of the engraving machine.